Rolls-Royce 'Spirit of Ecstasy' Fabergé Egg
Rolls-Royce debuts the 'Spirit of Ecstasy’ Fabergé Egg - merging the worlds of luxury fashion, jewellery and mechanics to create a truly iconic design.
Two of the world’s most esteemed houses of luxury have joined forces to create one unique objet d’art, for one discerning patron. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and Fabergé proudly announce the ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ Fabergé Egg. For the first time in history, an iteration of the Spirit of Ecstasy, the enigmatic mascot that has adorned Rolls-Royce motor cars since 1911, is cocooned in an exquisite, contemporary, Fabergé Egg. The design, conceived by Rolls-Royce Designer Alex Innes and rendered by Fabergé Lead Designer Liisa Talgren, has been brought to life by Fabergé workmaster Paul Jones, creating a contemporary interpretation of one of the world’s most fabled and prized possessions.
The Egg connects the elements that lie at the very core of each marque – the Spirit of Ecstasy, the illustrious muse that has guided each Rolls-Royce motor car for over a century, and the form of a Fabergé Egg, the pinnacle of ornamental expression. The masterpiece resulting from this distinguished collaboration reflects the extraordinary attention to detail and the consummate craftsmanship for which both brands are renowned to this day.
A team of seven craftspeople from Fabergé undertook the challenge of fabricating the design using the finest materials married with their extraordinary skill as artist jewellers. At first glance, the Egg is unmistakable in its character. Design cues from Fabergé’s heritage are masterfully woven into the intricate design which stands at 160mm and weighs just 400g, with the Egg harnessing the ‘surprise and delight’ attributes for which Imperial Eggs are celebrated.
The Egg rests on an engine-turned, hand-engraved, purple enamel guilloché base of 18 karat white gold. Arms of rose gold define the shape of the egg, acting as a protective chamber for the Egg’s precious inhabitant. Upon operating the movement via a discreet lever at the base of the stand, a sense of theatre ensues as the boughs open to present the fine figurine of the Spirit of Ecstasy, hand-sculpted in frosted rock crystal, standing nobly in her opulent surrounds. The rose gold vanes, embellished with nearly 10 carats of round white diamonds, resolve into swathes of natural amethyst weighing over 390 carats, specially selected for its colour saturation and quality. The purple hue of the enamel and amethyst provide a playful nod to the use of colour found in Fabergé’s heritage.
The technical mastery of Fabergé prevails. The ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ Fabergé Egg adopts a highly complex operating mechanism, conceived through computer-aided design and animation, developed with micro engineering. The success of this mechanism, and in turn the piece as a whole, can be attributed to the goldsmiths’ art as craftspeople and their ability to meld this skill with technology, creating a work of art that could not be created by man alone. The piece embodies both the artistic design and engineering skill that one expects from a collaboration between Rolls-Royce and Fabergé and has probably the most complicated opening of any Fabergé Egg to date.
The ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ Fabergé Egg was premiered at the House of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, West Sussex, England, to a host of distinguished guests and venerable patrons of the marque on 23 October 2018. The Egg will be on public display in Fabergé’s London window, 1 – 31 December 2018.
